Friendly interaction between human and computer is critical for the development of entertainment systems, especially for gaming systems. The rapid development of the motion analyses systems and computer-controlled devices has introduced possibility of new ways of interacting with computers. However, many existing solutions make use of sensor devices which often needed to be attached on the user fingers. Although this way can offer accurate hand detection, it also increases users' burden. One preferred method is to use hand as a commanding device, i.e. using movements to enter commands into the operating system of the computer or control peripheral devices. However, the known methods and systems are rather complex and not robust enough.
According to U.S. Pat. No. 6,002,808, a system is provided for rapidly recognizing hand gestures for the control of computer graphics, in which image moment calculations are utilized to determine an overall equivalent rectangle corresponding to hand position, orientation and size, with size in one embodiment correlating to the width of the hand. In a further embodiment, a hole generated through the utilization of the touching of the forefinger with the thumb provides a special trigger gesture recognized through the corresponding hole in the binary representation of the hand. In a further embodiment, image moments of images of other objects are detected for controlling or directing onscreen images.
According to U.S. Pat. No. 7,129,927, a gesture recognition system including elements for detecting and generating a signal corresponding to a number of markers arranged on an object, elements for processing the signal from the detecting elements, members for detecting position of the markers in the signal. The markers are divided into first and second set of markers, the first set of markers constituting a reference position and the system comprises elements for detecting movement of the second set of markers and generating a signal as a valid movement with respect to the reference position.
There thus is a need for an interaction system that offers an unconstrained or natural way for users to interact with computer, which means users can control without any other devices but their own hands.